Making the right intention is necessary for all actions of Muslims, since the worth of all actions depends on the intention with which it is done. I am attaching an article which described the Islamic methodology for education in detail. In brief, we should make the intention that we will do research to produce knowledge which is beneficial for the Ummah. Also, we will use our learning for the service of the Ummah.
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (6:162)
The most important difference between a secular education and an Islamic education arises when we consider the PURPOSE of education. Islam provides us with clear guidance on the purpose of life:
Az-Zariyat (The Winds that Scatter)
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ (51:56)
Al-Mulk (Dominion)
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ (67:2)
We have been created only for worship, and we must strive for excellence in this pursuit. An education is an essential ingredient in teaching us how we can excel in the worship of Allah.
Inside man is the potential for excellence; he/she can rise higher than the angels:
At-Tin (The Fig)
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ (95:4)
Man also has the potential for being the worst of creation:
At-Tin (The Fig)
ثُمَّ رَدَدْنَاهُ أَسْفَلَ سَافِلِينَ (95:5)
The goal of our lives is to develop the potential for excellence within us, and to prevent the tendencies for evil from dictating our action and making us into the WORST of creations.
EDUCATION is meant to teach us how to develop our potential, and how to avoid become worse than the beasts.
These insights are not available to those who are trained in the west, because a secular education DOES NOT HAVE these goals.
"Seek knowledge, because seeking it for the sake of Allaah is a worship. And knowing it makes you more God-fearing; and searching for it is jihad, teaching it to those who do not know is charity, reviewing and learning it more is liketasbeeh. Through knowledge Allaah will be known and worshipped. With the knowledge Allaah will elevate people and make them leaders and imams, who will in turn guide other people."
[Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya vol.10, p.39]